U. S. Steel Announces Management Changes in North America and Europe

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) today announced several management changes at its North American and European operations.  

Malisa J. Sommers has been appointed managing director – transportation and president of Transtar, Inc., U. S. Steel's transportation subsidiary.  Miroslav Kiralvarga will relocate to the United States from the Slovak Republic to succeed Sommers as general manager – global materials management and procurement operations.  Elena Petraskova will return to her native Slovakia after a four-year assignment in North America to assume Kiralvarga's former role of vice president – management services & administration for U. S. Steel Kosice.  Kiralvarga's and Petraskova's advancements are effective March 1.  Sommers' appointment is effective Feb. 1, but she will also continue to maintain the responsibilities associated with her previous role until Kiralvarga's appointment takes effect.

As managing director-transportation, Sommers, 45, will be responsible for various aspects of transportation and logistics, including the logistics services group headed by James V. Bard, at U. S. Steel facilities in North America.  She will also oversee operations at the railroad and barge companies that comprise Transtar, Inc.: Birmingham Southern Railroad Company; Delray Connecting Railroad Company; Fairfield Southern Company; Gary Railway Company; The Lake Terminal Railroad Company; Lorain Northern Company; McKeesport Connecting Railroad Company; Texas & Northern Railway Company; Union Railroad Company; and Warrior & Gulf Navigation LLC.  Sommers will report to Vice President – Supply Chain & Customer Service Anton Lukac.  

Prior to joining U. S. Steel in 2001, Sommers worked for Wheeling-Nisshin, Inc., a steel coating facility in Follansbee, W.Va., for 13 years.  Sommers spent her first three years with U. S. Steel at Straightline, the company's former steel distribution subsidiary, serving two years as manager – demand fulfillment and one year as manager – customer care.  

In 2004, Sommers moved to U. S. Steel's corporate headquarters after being named manager – purchasing information technology.  One year later, she advanced to manager – CAPEX procurement, where she managed procurement activities related to capital expenditure projects around the company.  In 2007, she was named manager – materials management, and in 2009 she advanced to her most recent position, general manager – global materials management and procurement operations.  

A native of Burgettstown, Pa., Sommers earned her bachelor's degree in industrial management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1988 and her master's degree in business administration from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) in 1994.  Sommers will continue to be based in Pittsburgh.  

Kiralvarga, 46, will assume responsibility for parts and materials inventory management and procurement support for U. S. Steel facilities companywide.  He will report to Vice President – Procurement, Raw Materials & Real Estate Michael J. Hatcher.  

Kiralvarga graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of P. J. Safarik in Kosice, Slovakia in 1987.  After spending eight years working in the physics department at Technical University Kosice, where he advanced to deputy department head in 1993, Kiralvarga left the university and progressed through positions with Procesna Automatizacia VSZ a.s., VSZ Keramika, s.r.o. and VSZ a.s., U. S. Steel Kosice's former parent company, from 1995 through 1997.  

In 1997, Kiralvarga was appointed director – controlling at STABILITA, a supplementary retirement insurance company in Slovakia.  Two years later, he returned to the steel industry to serve as senior manager – personnel and compensation at VSZ U. S. Steel s.r.o., a tin mill products finishing joint venture.  When U. S. Steel acquired VSZ's steel making and finishing operations in 2000, Kiralvarga was named general manager – compensation for the newly formed U. S. Steel Kosice.  He advanced to vice president – human resources in 2003 and was appointed to his most recent post, vice president – management services & administration, in 2007.

In addition to his degree from the University of P. J. Safarik, Kiralvarga earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 2000.  Kiralvarga, his wife, Maria, and their youngest son will relocate to the Pittsburgh area.  

Petraskova, 41, will oversee U. S. Steel Kosice subsidiaries located in Slovakia and other European Union (EU) countries, crisis management, public affairs, and governmental and EU affairs.  She will report to Vice President – European Operations and President – U. S. Steel Kosice David J. Rintoul.  

Petraskova graduated from law school at the University of P. J. Safarik in Kosice in 1992 and joined VSZ the same year as a litigation attorney.  In 1993, she moved to the company's corporate law section and in 1999 advanced to section head of the group.  She was appointed an assistant general counsel in U. S. Steel Kosice's law department in 2001 with responsibility for the commercial and corporate sections.  

In 2005, Petraskova accepted a one-year assignment in the law department at U. S. Steel's corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh.  She returned to Slovakia in 2006 to serve once again as an assistant general counsel at U. S. Steel Kosice.  In 2007, Petraskova relocated to Pittsburgh for a second assignment in the corporate law department.  She was named to her most recent position, general attorney – international law, in 2007.  

Petraskova graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2009 with a degree in the Master of Laws Program for Foreign Law Graduates.  Petraskova, her husband, Peter, and their daughter will return to Slovakia while her son remains in Pittsburgh to complete his studies at a local university.  

For more information about U. S. Steel, visit www.ussteel.com.

SOURCE United States Steel Corporation